Herb-crusted rack of lamb with white bean purée

• fresh white breadcrumb↗50g g

  or white bread, torn into small pieces

• roughly chopped parsley2 tbsp tbsp
• thyme leaf↗2 tbsp tbsp
• rosemary↗2 tbsp tbsp

  leaves, picked from sprigs

• zest 1 lemon
• grated parmesan25g g
• olive oil↗2 tbsp tbsp

  plus extra for drizzling

• 2 x 8-bone racks of lamb

  well trimmed (see 'Try', below)

• Dijon mustard↗2 tbsp tbsp
• spinach↗250g g

  leaves

• can butter bean↗400g g

  drained and rinsed

• garlic clove↗1

  chopped

• 6 anchovy↗

  fillets

• large rosemary↗

  sprig, leaves chopped

• juice ½ lemon
• extra-virgin olive oil↗8 tbsp

  the best quality you can afford

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip the breadcrumbs, herbs, zest and Parmesan into a food processor with 1 tbsp of the oil and some seasoning. Blitz until everything is finely chopped.

2. 2

   Heat the remaining oil in an ovenproof frying pan. Season the lamb, then brown it well on all sides and turn off the heat. Turn the racks so that they are fat-side up, and brush liberally with the mustard (Step 1, above). Pack over the herb crust (Step 2), drizzle with a bit more oil, and roast for 25 mins until the crust is golden and the lamb is cooked – this will produce lamb that is pink in the middle but cooked all the way through. If you like your lamb rarer, roast for only 20 mins; if you like it more done, give it 5 mins more. Put the lamb on a board to rest.

3. 3

   While the lamb is cooking, blitz the beans with the garlic, anchovies, rosemary, lemon juice, some seasoning and 7 tbsp olive oil (or enough to make it a smooth purée. Tip into a saucepan to gently heat.

4. 4

   Wilt the spinach in the remaining olive oil in another frying pan. Once the lamb has rested, carefully carve it into chops (Step 3), trying to keep the crust intact. Divide the warm bean purée between 4 plates, add a small mound of spinach, then arrange 3 lamb chops on top of each portion. Sprinkle with stray crumbs and drizzle with a little olive oil.